Coach upbeat Indonesia karatekas will win gold<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Japanese coach Masao Kagawa expressed optimism
\nthat the Indonesian team would be able to bring home gold medals
\nin the Asian Union Karate Organization (AUKO) championships in
\nSingapore next week.<\/p>\n
Kagawa said while witnessing Indonesian karatekas practice at
\nthe Cemara Hijau complex in Medan, North Sumatra on Friday that
\nIndonesia had a good chance to win two gold medals either in kata
\nor kumite in the event from Dec. 1 to Dec. 3.<\/p>\n
\"For the Asian level, Indonesia must be aware of their rivals
\nfrom Japan and Iran,\" Kagawa, who is the Japanese national team
\ncoach, was quoted as saying by Antara.<\/p>\n
Kagawa, who won the 1990 Shotokan world championships, said
\nall karatekas had the same basic technical skills but the
\ndifference was only in their competitiveness of spirit.<\/p>\n
Kagawa, who will accompany the karatekas to the championships,
\nsaid he tried hard to boost athletes' motivation and self-
\nconfidence to avoid the fear of losing before fighting in the
\narena.<\/p>\n
Team manager Rahmat Shah said eight male and four female
\nkaratekas would fly from Medan on Nov. 28. The athletes are Arief
\nTaufan, Sonny Simangasing, Umar Syarief, Novilus Yoku, Aswan Ali,
\nElias Tande, Wahyu Widayat and Hasan Basri on the men's side and
\nSandra Aryani, Merani Mega, Fitria Mega and Tri Murti on the
\nwomen's side. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/coach-upbeat-indonesia-karatekas-will-win-gold-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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